Borrowed Gifts
by Satu-D-2
Summary: Gohan has forgotten the anniversary of one of his best friends. How can Videl help him out of this bind? GV and K18 Oneshot


AN. A last minute entry to SweetestIrony's May contest DX I've just finished my first assignment at uni and just had enough time to do this. It is 40 minutes to midnight on the 31st of May where I am, so this is fantastic timing XD Anyway, it's not my best. Not even close. I did the best I could, but I'm tired and I've had a LONG week and I'm very sick (it's not swine flu, but being in Melbourne I'm taking precautions XD) and...yeah... I hope you enjoy :D

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"That was today? He's going to kill me!"

Gohan slumped forward on his desk and cradled his head in his hands, groaning and proclaiming his upcoming death to the world. The group beside him watched, some amused and some concerned as he started hitting his forehead on the table, his eyes slitted shut, mumbling the word 'stupid' over and over again.

Eventually Videl was the one to break him out of his stupor, lightly tapping his arm.

"Um... Gohan-kun?"

"I can't believe it! I'm such an idiot!"

"Got that right," Sharpener said, sniggering, only to gasp and pout when Erasa hit his upper arm.

"What's wrong, Gohan-kun?" Videl asked, as gently as she was able. Gohan lifted his head, blinked at her blearily, then sighed with frustration.

"It's Krillin's anniversary," the teenager said dejectedly, then returned to hitting his head on the table, cursing softly to himself in his own strangely innocent way.

"Krillin?" Eraser asked.

"Dunno," Sharpener said. He tilted back on his chair, pushed his hair back and stretched both arms behind his head. "Sounds like another one of his weirdo friends."

"Who's Krillin?" Videl asked. She sounded like she was talking to a child, but Gohan responded as normal.

"Friend...Dad's best friend... Can't believe I forgot! He's gonna be so mad!!"

"So...why?" Eraser chipped in, leaning over Videl to touch Gohan's arm as well.

"I usually get him a present," Gohan groaned softly. "I totally forgot. Stupid assignment!"

The assignment in question was one that Gohan had spent the past two weeks working on, honing it to absolute perfection, and which was also not due for another month and a half. The other three exchanged glances.

"He's having a party tonight at Kame House and I've totally forgotten all about it! What am I gonna do!?"

"Son Gohan! Be quiet!" the teacher shouted from the front of the class, making everyone except the half-Saiyan jump.

"Sorry," he said instead, flushing and pressing his forehead into his desk. "Won't do it again..."

The teacher resumed her talk. Videl hesitated, then leaned over and whispered into the boy's ear.

"Gohan-kun, I can help..."

"How?" he breathed.

"Come to my house after school," she said softly. "I've got a whole lot of stuff you can give as a present."

"And will you go to the party with me?" he asked, his eyes wide and pleading as he looked up. "Please? I can't show up late by myself..."

She flushed, then sighed and nodded.

"But you owe me," she said.

"Thank you, Videl-san," he said. He sat back and grabbed her hand, his fingers gripping her hand tight. "I really appreciate it."

Her cheeks burned and she looked silently at their hands folded together, cursing herself internally for allowing herself to blush. She heard Sharpener start to snicker and Eraser's soft "Nawww." With one smooth movement she leant over, slapped Sharpener on the stomach, and on the way back flicked Eraser's nose. Both blondes shut up, but Sharpener continued to snigger silently, and Eraser had a big smile on her face as she glanced at them. Videl glared at them for a moment, before realising that she was still holding onto Gohan's hand. She pulled her own free and flushed even redder, ducking her head and hiding her face behind her book.

The rest of the class (the last of the afternoon, coincidentally) dragged by, and when the bell finally rang Gohan grinned and shot to his feet, looking at her like an eager puppy.

"We going, Videl-san?"

"Yes, Gohan-kun," she sighed, and got to her feet. "Sure..."

He followed her down the hall, hovering on her heels, before sitting awestruck in the back of her hovercar, his face pressed against the window and leaving a big billowing cloud of fog with his breath.

"Gohan-kun, settle down," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I can't thank you enough, Videl-san," he said, sitting back in his seat and grinning at her. Her stomach tightened a little and she fought back a blush. "This means so much to me..."

"It's alright," she said, trying to sound nonchalant and failing.

They got to her house and she directed him to a room full of little trinkets and beautiful antiques. Gohan stepped inside and stared around, his eyes wide with shock.

"What's all this stuff?"

"Signs of admiration from my father's more...persistent fans." Videl leaned against the doorway, flapping one hand at him. "Go on, he'll never notice if one is missing."

"Right."

Gohan started to search, picking up things before replacing them, examining everything. Videl watched, her eyes roaming over his form, her cheeks flushing a little.

"Why is this such a big deal, Gohan-kun? Krillin's not your dad, is he?"

"No," Gohan said, and laughed a little as he put down an exquisite vase. "He was Dad's best friend. They grew up together. He's been...a really good friend to me too." His tone had grown soft, wistful. He was smiling, his eyes growing slightly unfocused. Videl's heart thumped a little faster and her teeth caught her lower lip. "He got married to 18 and since Dad couldn't be there I was his best man... I've never forgotten before... I mean, it was such an honour to be trusted with that. He means a lot to our family." He straightened, holding up a framed picture. "This'll be good. Can I take this one, Videl-san?"

"Sure," she said dumbly, then shook her head and said it again, forcing her voice to be a bit more focused. "Sure. Let's go."

"Thanks." He tucked it under his arm and headed towards the door. "You're still gonna come with, right, Videl-san?"

"Sure, why not." She wished there was more sarcasm in her tone. "Let's just get on with it, Gohan-kun."

They flew once outside, Gohan directing the way, holding the painting protectively in both hands. They flew first out of the city, then out of the country, then over the ocean. Videl looked around, crossing both her arms over her chest and shivering slightly.

"Gohan-kun, are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Yep." He didn't look around at her. "Kame House is on a little island about ten minutes that way." He pointed. "It's the only island around for miles, so it should be pretty easy to find."

"Or we could fly right over it and get lost forever," Videl muttered, but Gohan seemed confident and she decided to just trust him. They flew in silence, then Gohan started to descend, heading towards a tiny speck of land in the pristine blue sea, a grin of anticipation growing on his face. Videl followed, flushing and feeling very self-conscious as Gohan started waving his hands and shouting out in the excited tone of a child.

"Krillin!! I made it!!"

An orange blur shot up from the island and soon a small man with short black hair was grabbing Gohan's hand, a delighted grin on his nose-less face.

"Gohan, you made it!" He tilted his head, and his grin became sly when he saw Videl standing there in midair. "Who's your girlfriend?"

"K-Krillin-san!" Gohan said, his cheeks instantly burning a bright red. "Videl isn't my g-girlfriend!"

"Me thinks he dost protest too much," Krillin said, and his eyebrows rose and fell as he playfully elbowed the much taller boy. "C'mon, Marron's been asking after you."

They flew down to the island, where Gohan was promptly glomped by a small girl with blonde hair and no nose.

"Gohan-chan!" she cooed as Gohan scooped her up, smiling at her.

"Hi, Marron-chan," he said, ruffling her hair. "Where's your mum? I got her a present."

"Did you get me a present, Gohan-chan?" Marron asked, blinking innocently up at him. He shook his head, smiling apologetically, and she pouted. "She's over there with Bulma and your mum."

"Thanks. Go find Goten, okay?"

"Gohan-kun, I feel really awkward," Videl murmured to him as he put Marron to the ground, letting her toddle off towards the pink house with Kame scrawled across the wood.

"Don't worry, they'll love you," he said, putting a hand on her arm and smiling comfortingly. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to Bulma and 18."

"18?" she asked, but he ignored her, guiding her to the side. Around the corner three women were talking. Chichi Videl already knew. Bulma Briefs she knew by reputation. That meant the blonde was Marron's mother and Krillin's wife.

"Bulma-san, 18-san, this is Videl," Gohan said. "Videl-san, Bulma and 18."

"N-nice to meet you," Videl said. Her eyes met the bright blue ones of the surprisingly young woman Gohan had introduced as 18, and recognition flashed in her mind. "Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

18 sighed resignedly. "Here we go," she said in a bored monotone. "May as well get this over with." Her eyes were brutally intense, and almost seemed to glow. "I'm an android. I was on TV. Cell ate me. Can we move on now?"

"You're an android?" Videl said. It felt as though she'd just been punched in the stomach. The androids? She thought they had been defeated, or banished or something. Gohan was blushing, as though he had just realised he probably should have divulged that information before.

They were interrupted by Krillin coming up to the group. He went straight to 18 and lifted off the ground, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Happy anniversary, babe," he murmured.

"Don't call me babe," she said, but she was smiling, and the intensity in her eyes had dissipated as she looked down at the short man who caught hold of her hand as he looked at everyone else. Videl looked, and was surprised to find affection in those bright blue eyes, something she hadn't thought androids capable of.

"Sorry, babe," he said, then grinned up at Gohan. "What-cha got there, Gohan?"

"Oh right." Gohan pulled the picture from beneath his arm and handed it to 18, grinning. "It's a present. Happy anniversary!"

"Oh cool, a print," Krillin said. "That'll look _great_ over our bed. How'd you know 18 loves Monet?"

"Monet...?" Gohan asked, blinking. Videl groaned internally. Trust the boy who was a maths whiz to not know anything about art.

"This is an original," 18 said suddenly, her eyes narrowed as she examined the piece of art in her hands. "I can tell..."

"Gohan, where'd you get an original Monet?" Krillin asked, his eyes bugging as he looked up at the half-Saiyan.

"Um... Well... You see... That is..."

"It's from both of us," Videl cut in smoothly, grabbing onto Gohan's arm. "He told me it was your anniversary and we decided to give a gift together."

"Oh really." Krillin's sly smile returned, making Gohan blush bright red. "That's cute. Thanks for the gift, guys. From couple to couple, it's fair enough."

"N-no that's not what she meant," Gohan said. "I mean, it's not what it sounds like... I mean..." He broke off and looked helplessly at his mother.

"What a lovely thought," she said, not helping matters at all. "I only hope you get something just as nice for my birthday, Gohan-chan."

The party continued on in this strain for quite a long time. Krillin kept sending sly grins towards Gohan, while Videl slowly gained some rapport with the rest of the guests, feeling accepted by most of them, starting with the children. After everyone had said their goodbyes Gohan flew her home, his hands behind his back, his head down and his cheeks burning red. Videl flew behind him, keeping her eyes on him, aware of the slight red touching her cheeks too.

Outside her house Gohan hesitated, scuffing his feet in the dirt, his cheeks flaming.

"Thanks for coming with me, Videl-san," he said softly.

"Thanks for inviting me, Gohan-kun," she replied. "I had fun."

"I'm glad..." He smiled, and it was a shy and sweet smile that made her stomach twist. "I can't believe you let me take them a Monet original. That's huge, Videl-san."

"It was nothing," she said. "I was happy to. Especially since 18 was such a Monet fan."

"Yeah." Gohan hesitated, then darted forward and pressed his lips to her cheek. "Thanks a lot, Videl-san," he whispered in her ear, then ran for it. She stood silent, her eyes wide with surprise, before smiling and turning back inside. He was such a sweet boy...it was really no wonder she was so fond of him.

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AN. And there we have it. My entry. I hope you enjoyed it. I have an 8am lecture tomorrow morning so I'm going to sleep :D Ciao! Please review if you're not too busy (and if you are, I know how you feel!!)


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